


Seasons

by protect-him (protect_him)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-11
Updated: 2017-10-11
Packaged: 2019-01-16 11:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12341661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/protect_him/pseuds/protect-him
Summary: Day 11, another one that I had to think about for a bit. I decided on winter, because how cute is cuddly Fenders?





	Seasons

Fenris had spent several winters in Kirkwall now, but the change of seasons still had him grumbling. He was not used to the cold here, and didn’t much appreciate it.

He had been spending time in Anders’ clinic, learning to help him. When he arrived on a particularly chilly morning, huffing out puffs of breath that hung in the air before Anders opened the door for him, Anders hardly thought anything of it.

The clinic had a little fire and it warmed the building considerably. It helped that Darktown was so isolated from the winds that blew harshly through the port city. Fenris picked up the basket of freshly cleaned bandages and carried them over by the fire, sitting down with his feet stretched towards the flames as he rolled up the bandages, placing them in a neat pile for Anders to use later.

Anders was treating a lot of colds and fevers lately.

“It’s the cold,” he explained to Fenris. “I always get more people who are sick when it’s cold.”

Fenris nodded. He had finished rolling up the bandages and was helping Anders make a batch of elfroot potion. Fenris had discovered that he enjoyed helping Anders with his potions.

It involved combining ingredients and then usually cooking them until they were well mixed. Then he would wash Anders’ empty potion jars and fill them with the new potion. It was a mindless and simple task, and Fenris felt that he could do it well. He liked feeling helpful, and it freed up Anders’ time to do other things.

“Fenris, you refilled all my potions,” Anders said as Fenris was finishing. He’d been so distracted, he hadn’t noticed the elf quietly working away over the fire.

“Yes,” Fenris said slowly, “was that wrong?”

“No, that saves me so much time,” Anders said, looking over his fresh stock of potions. He looked back at Fenris. “You’ve been spending a lot more time here lately. Any particular reason?”

Fenris shook his head no. “I enjoy the work you do here,” he said. “I like to feel like I can be a small part of it.”

“I can teach you more if you like,” Anders said, his heart warming even further as Fenris acknowledged enjoying Anders’ work.

Fenris accepted Anders’ offer, then both of them turned as another patient entered the clinic. The elf who came in, a young male with a raging fever, shook his head and stomped his feet just inside the door. Flakes of snow fell from his hair and shoulders, melting quickly in the clinic’s comfortable heat.

“It’s snowing?” Anders asked, as he drew the elf to one of the cots and laid him down.

The elf nodded and then lapsed into silence as Anders tended to him. Fenris tried to help by heating tea and bringing that for both the elf and Anders.

The fever was easily dispelled and Anders watched as the elf disappeared outside again. The ground already had a dusting of white.

“Winter has really come to Kirkwall this year,” Anders said. He began to tidy up the clinic, as evening was falling and he would be closing up soon.

Fenris decided he should probably leave now, and let Anders rest.

After assuring Anders that he would be back in a few days, Fenris stepped outside. His prior winters in Kirkwall had been free of snow. This was his first time even seeing it. He walked carefully at first, glancing back at his footprints. Before he was even two streets from the clinic, Anders surprised him by running up alongside him.

“Fenris, you’re still in your bare feet,” Anders said, a bit out of breath.

“I am always,” Fenris replied.

“You shouldn’t be walking in the snow in bare feet!”

“You forget I am an elf,” Fenris said, “and we often walk without shoes.”

“I...I don’t think it works that way,” Anders said, looking at Fenris’s feet with concern. “You know, it’s things like this that causes all those people who come into my clinic with sore throats and fevers. ‘Oh, I’m an elf, I’m immune to the extreme weather of the changing seasons.’” Anders mimicked a high-pitched voice.

Fenris rolled his eyes.

“I bet this is  _ exactly _ why that elf came into my clinic sick,” Anders said, keeping pace as Fenris quickened his steps. “You elves think that just because traditionally you walk barefoot, there can be no exceptions to that rule. When in fact, it’s times like this where you really do need to wear something on your feet.”

Fenris scoffed, touched at Anders’ concerned insistence, but not really believing him.

Fenris paused several streets from his mansion. The snow was almost an inch thick and falling faster now. He picked up a foot and tried to brush snow from it.

“What’s wrong?” Anders was at his side in an instant.

“I do not understand,” Fenris muttered. “The snow is soft, and yet my feet hurt.”

“They’re  _ cold _ , you idiot elf,” Anders said. “You should be wearing protection on your feet. You need boots.”

“I can’t wear  _ boots _ ,” Fenris protested. “Who ever heard of an elf wearing boots?”

“Who ever heard of an elf in the snow?” Anders retorted. “Elves keep away from snow, and for good reason, I suppose. Let’s get to your mansion and heat up some water for you to soak your feet in.”

“This is a lot of snow,” Fenris commented as he fumbled with the lock on his front door.

“ _ This _ ?” Anders laughed. Then kept laughing as Fenris looked at him deadpan. “This is  _ nothing _ . You should see a real Fereldan winter. It will come up to your  _ waist _ .”

Fenris looked horrified and hurried to push open the door and get inside.

“You don’t mind if I come in and warm up?” Anders asked, following him in.

Fenris shrugged and headed towards the kitchen for a bottle of wine to warm himself up.

“Where are you going?” Anders asked, surprised to see his own breath indoors. It wasn’t much warmer in here than outside, if there was any difference at all, which it was possible there wasn’t. It was freezing.

“Fenris, it’s so cold in here!” Anders complained. “Doesn’t a place like this have a heating system?”

“How would I know?” Fenris asked, appearing with two bottles of wine. He handed one to Anders, who looked down at it, confused.

“What is this?” Anders asked.

“It will warm you up,” Fenris said.

“ _ This _ is how you ‘warm up??’” Anders exclaimed. “You don’t—I don’t know—light a  _ fire? _ ”

“I have tried,” Fenris said. “But it only spreads warmth to the area near it, and if I get too close it’s too hot.”

“There should be a fire that will heat your house,” Anders said, setting aside the wine bottle and looking around for some heating pipes, which he quickly found. Even though Danarius did not visit this mansion often in the colder seasons, it was still equipped with a heating system.

It didn’t take long for Anders to find the source. He lit a fire in the metal heater, closing the vented cover on it once he was done.

“This will run for a while before you need to put on more fuel,” Anders explained to Fenris. “It will send heat through the pipes throughout the mansion and keep the rooms warmer. No more of this seeing your breath indoors and drinking wine to warm up nonsense.”

“I like wine,” Fenris replied.

“You can still have it,” Anders said. “But I want to look at your feet too.”

Fenris sat and Anders pressed his warm hands against them. “You should put them in some hot water for a bit,” Anders said. “That will help. Are there any boots among the clothing that was left here?”

“I do not know,” Fenris said, not moving.

“Do you...have hot water?” Anders asked.

“How do I make it hot?” Fenris replied. “I am not a mage.”

Sighing, Anders went to the bathroom with Fenris as well and showed him that if he pressed a rune beside the sink, the water would come out hot. They took the tub of hot water down into the living room, where Anders lit the fire in the fireplace and Fenris sat to gingerly put his feet in the tub of hot water. Already the heat from the pipes was beginning to warm up the room.

“No wonder you’ve been spending so much time at the clinic lately,” Anders said. “Your mansion is unlivable when it’s that cold.”

“I did not understand how people could survive the cold weather,” Fenris admitted. “I found it miserable.”

“Hopefully this is an improvement,” Anders said.

Fenris nodded.

“Someday I should take you to Fereldan for a real winter,” Anders said. Fenris made a face. “Don’t look so eager,” Anders laughed. “The houses are very cozy and I’ll make sure you’re dressed plenty warm and I’ll take care of you afterwards. It’s very beautiful in the winter.”

“The snow is peculiar,” Fenris admitted. “I was surprised at how bright it is, even at night.”

“Snow can transform an entire landscape,” Anders said, sighing. “I do miss those winters. Warm fires and hot drinks, cuddling together for warmth and sharing scarves and mittens. What do you say?”

Fenris looked at how wistfully Anders spoke of these harsh winters. The idea of wearing so much clothing—and boots—did not appeal much to him, but if he was with Anders…

“I would like to go with you,” Fenris said. “You make it sound like it would not be so bad.”

“It’s really not,” Anders said, leaning against Fenris and hugging him close. “And I would make sure to help you keep your nose and ears warm.”

The ears in question reddened a little as Fenris blushed.

“I would like that,” he said quietly, leaning his head against Anders’ chest. Braving the cold didn’t seem so bad if Anders was there. Just the mage’s presence made Fenris feel warm and happy inside. He was grateful now for the cold weather—it had given him this rare moment of restfulness where Anders was cuddled up to him, calm and not busy for once. Fenris hoped it would last just a few more days. 


End file.
